Letters: Jan. 7

Published: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 7:48 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 7:48 a.m.

Fixing Congress

To the editor: With congressional approval in the low two-digit numbers and Washington bragging about how dysfunctional it is, we need a new solution. There are calls for changes, but nothing improves. We all complain about the “other” congressmen, but everyone seems to like their own guy just fine at election time. We need a fresh start.

How about a congressional lottery? Two identical barrels, each filled with 435 ping-pong balls, sit side by side in the Supreme Court. Each ball has a state, and a congressional district marked on it. The junior justice draws a ball from barrel No. 1. “California — 8.” The crowd is hushed. The chief justice, blindfolded, draws a ball from barrel No. 2. “Oklahoma — 3.” It is decided.

The representative from Nancy Pelosi’s district will now be selected by the cattle ranchers, hunters and oilmen from Northwest Oklahoma. And so it goes, until every representative is assigned a new constituency. A second set of barrels is wheeled out, the senatorial barrels. New Yorkers who elected Chuck Schumer get to pick a senator for Texas. Would it work? Give it a fair try; it can’t make things worse. At least it would make Congress think “outside the district” in future elections.

TERRY BUETTNER

Flat Rock

Time for life lesson

To the editor: To the parents of and the young adults who attended the party where the assault/ brutality occurred: “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom” — Thomas Jefferson No one has the right to brutalize another person, whether they are functioning in their full capacity (which may be different for us all), or are not functioning in full capacity due to many reasons.

This is the time for a life lesson.

Do the right thing! One should be concerned about the greater good — of the community, of your developing values, of your commitment to truth — not maintaining friendships.

Not doing the right thing will become a ghost in the closet, haunting you as you grow and mature. Take the first step to maturity, and be honest.

KIM MACNISH

Hendersonville

Tax the deadbeats

To the editor: In response to nonsense coming from Washington, we citizens — Republicans, Democrats and independents — must inundate our representatives with a demand that the budget be balanced by placing taxes and tariffs on multinational corporations. Offshore corporations have opened secretary-only offices in the Cayman Islands, make tens of billions in profit per company each year selling products in the U.S. and paying ZERO income taxes.

An estimated $32 trillion in profits is hidden in offshore accounts — twice the national debt.

Under Dwight Eisenhower, corporations paid 23 percent of the U.S. income tax burden. Today all corporations combined pay about 6 percent, as we lose almost $1 trillion in taxes per year to the offshore deadbeats. Do the math. The deficit this year is $1.3 trillion.

Despite their campaign rhetoric and promises, the Washington geniuses intend to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle classes by increasing payroll taxes, eliminating your deductions, and cutting Medicare and Social Security, which has a $2.5 trillion surplus. Obama will sign whatever they send him. It is time to stand up and remind them that the 2014 election is just around the corner.

<p>Fixing Congress</p><p>To the editor: With congressional approval in the low two-digit numbers and Washington bragging about how dysfunctional it is, we need a new solution. There are calls for changes, but nothing improves. We all complain about the “other” congressmen, but everyone seems to like their own guy just fine at election time. We need a fresh start.</p><p>How about a congressional lottery? Two identical barrels, each filled with 435 ping-pong balls, sit side by side in the Supreme Court. Each ball has a state, and a congressional district marked on it. The junior justice draws a ball from barrel No. 1. “California — 8.” The crowd is hushed. The chief justice, blindfolded, draws a ball from barrel No. 2. “Oklahoma — 3.” It is decided.</p><p>The representative from Nancy Pelosi's district will now be selected by the cattle ranchers, hunters and oilmen from Northwest Oklahoma. And so it goes, until every representative is assigned a new constituency. A second set of barrels is wheeled out, the senatorial barrels. New Yorkers who elected Chuck Schumer get to pick a senator for Texas. Would it work? Give it a fair try; it can't make things worse. At least it would make Congress think “outside the district” in future elections.</p><p>TERRY BUETTNER</p><p>Flat Rock</p><p>Time for life lesson</p><p>To the editor: To the parents of and the young adults who attended the party where the assault/ brutality occurred: “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom” — Thomas Jefferson No one has the right to brutalize another person, whether they are functioning in their full capacity (which may be different for us all), or are not functioning in full capacity due to many reasons.</p><p>This is the time for a life lesson.</p><p>Do the right thing! One should be concerned about the greater good — of the community, of your developing values, of your commitment to truth — not maintaining friendships.</p><p>Not doing the right thing will become a ghost in the closet, haunting you as you grow and mature. Take the first step to maturity, and be honest.</p><p>KIM MACNISH</p><p>Hendersonville</p><p>Tax the deadbeats</p><p>To the editor: In response to nonsense coming from Washington, we citizens — Republicans, Democrats and independents — must inundate our representatives with a demand that the budget be balanced by placing taxes and tariffs on multinational corporations. Offshore corporations have opened secretary-only offices in the Cayman Islands, make tens of billions in profit per company each year selling products in the U.S. and paying ZERO income taxes.</p><p>An estimated $32 trillion in profits is hidden in offshore accounts — twice the national debt.</p><p>Under Dwight Eisenhower, corporations paid 23 percent of the U.S. income tax burden. Today all corporations combined pay about 6 percent, as we lose almost $1 trillion in taxes per year to the offshore deadbeats. Do the math. The deficit this year is $1.3 trillion.</p><p>Despite their campaign rhetoric and promises, the Washington geniuses intend to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle classes by increasing payroll taxes, eliminating your deductions, and cutting Medicare and Social Security, which has a $2.5 trillion surplus. Obama will sign whatever they send him. It is time to stand up and remind them that the 2014 election is just around the corner.</p><p>THOMAS W. HILL</p><p>Zirconia</p>